BREAST cancer patient Joanne Leese is in a race against time to get the life-saving drug she needs to see her son, Nathan, grow up.

After a double mastectomy, chemotherapy and radiotherapy over the past four years, Joanne, 30, needs Herceptin to stop the cancer returning.

But the revolutionary drug remains unavailable on the NHS. Cam -paigners from South Cheshire and North Staffordshire will hand over a 10,000-name petition to 10 Downing Street, tomorrow.

Joanne and fellow members of the Women Fighting for Herceptin group want the drug to be available to all - not just those who can afford it.

She and her husband Sean, 34, face re-mortgaging their home at Bladon Crescent, Alsager, to fund her treatment costing £40,000.

A public appeal for Joanne has raised £5,000 - and events are planned at various pubs in Alsager, Hassall Green and Stoke-on-Trent.

Joanne said: 'We feel terrible having to go with cap in hand but getting this treatment is more important than pride.

'Our local MP Ann Winterton has written me a lovely letter of support and I had planned to go to London on the march but we have had bad news about Nathan. He has been diagnosed with cerebral palsy due to his early birth and I have to stay to look after him.' Joanne had her first mastectomy four years ago, when doctors discovered pre-cancerous cells.

Just over a year ago, while she was pregnant with Nathan, another lump was found. The breast was removed and Nathan had to be delivered 10 weeks early by Caesarean so she could have chemotherapy.

Now Joanne has been told she has an 87% chance of the cancer returning. She said: 'I'm am told I will need Herceptin every three weeks for the next 12 months.

'Only with these injections do I stand a better chance of seeing Nathan grow up.'

Central Cheshire Primary Care Trust says it is not funding the drug because it is not approved for early cancer by the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence and the Cancer Network.

Anyone who can help Joanne by staging a fundraiser is asked to call the Chronicle newsroom on 01270 502 430 and we will gladly publicise the event.